From a Premium Advisory Experience to a Long-Term Customer Relationship
Luxury watch manufacturers and retailers often provide their customers with an exceptionally high level of personal advice and service. Yet contact details are rarely captured proactively, and individual preferences identified during the consultation are often not documented in a structured way. As a result, valuable customer interactions frequently end at the point of sale, leaving significant potential for follow-ups, repeat purchases and long-term relationship building untapped.
Over the past several months, we at Iskander Business Partner have conducted an in-depth analysis of the luxury watch market and consolidated our findings in a comprehensive study. It examines how consistently manufacturers and larger retailers capture customer data, continue to engage prospective customers after an initial consultation, and develop long-term customer relationships. The findings reveal a recurring pattern: across many of the interactions analysed, structured follow-ups and systematic communication throughout the customer lifecycle were lacking.
Our study is based on more than 20 in-depth interviews with experienced watch buyers, collectors and industry insiders, as well as over 40 interactions with manufacturers and retailers assessed through mystery shopping. The analysis covered boutique visits, online enquiries, live chats, newsletters, digital product registrations and other digital touchpoints. In addition, we reviewed brands’ online presence, relevant specialist media and independent watch channels across several international markets, including Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, the United States and Argentina.
Key Findings
High Service Quality, but Limited Customer Ownership
Across many of the interactions analysed, contact details were neither proactively captured nor were preferred models, individual preferences and purchase occasions mentioned during the consultation systematically recorded in a customer profile. As a result, the foundation for personalised follow-up after the appointment was often missing.
Customer Engagement Often Ends After the Initial Consultation
Structured follow-up was absent in many of the interactions we assessed. Personalised summaries, availability updates, alternative recommendations and clear next steps were often not provided. Responsibility for re-establishing contact therefore largely remained with the prospective customer.
Existing Demand Is Rarely Developed Further
Consultations were predominantly focused on the specific model initially requested. Suitable alternatives, higher-value models, complementary products or potential future purchase occasions were only rarely explored. As a result, additional sales and customer development opportunities frequently remained untapped.
Digital Interactions Often Remain Isolated
Some brands already demonstrate how digital enquiries, newsletter communications and product registrations can be used to build longer-term customer relationships. For most of the brands analysed, however, digital interactions remained isolated events that were not incorporated into a persistent customer profile. This often made personalised communication based on previous interests and interactions systematically impossible.
Systematic Customer Management Becomes a Measurable Growth Driver
One of the largest untapped opportunities lies in systematically developing existing customer interest. When information from consultations, online enquiries, purchases, product registrations, service interactions and events is connected and made available at the next customer touchpoint, manufacturers and retailers can engage customers far more effectively.
Personalised follow-ups, availability updates, relevant alternatives, service prompts, upgrades and the reactivation of inactive customers can increase conversion, repeat purchases, service revenues and Customer Lifetime Value. At the same time, local demand, customer potential and upcoming sales opportunities become more transparent. This enables more predictable growth and creates a stronger, mutually beneficial relationship between watch manufacturers and retailers.
What You Can Expect from the Study
The full study report examines:
- the recurring gaps identified in data capture, follow-up and long-term customer management
- selected best practices already being implemented by manufacturers and retailers in boutiques and across digital touchpoints
- how customer data can be captured throughout the customer journey and used to enable more personalised engagement
- relevant use cases for customer activation, development, retention and reactivation
- strategic initiatives that can increase conversion, repeat purchases, service revenues and Customer Lifetime Value
Request the Study for Free
We hope you enjoy reading our study and look forward to discussing the findings with you. Simply provide your business email address and we will send the study directly to you.
